Don’t-miss picks for October 26 through November 1, 2017
1 SNL: The Experience
Exhibit:Browse props, costumes, scripts, set replicas, and more at this buzzed-about SNL exhibit. See “5 Must-See Items at the New Saturday Night Live Exhibit” for more.
Through December 2018. $20–$25. Museum of Broadcast Communications. snltheexhibition.com
2 Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile
Rock:At first glance, the Australian Barnett and the Philadelphian Vile make for a curious pairing. The former is a raucous descendent of ’90s alt-rock; the latter a laid-back surf-rocker born on the wrong coast. What the two do share is a charming slacker ethos and a knack for captivating an audience—more than enough to incentivize a resale ticket.
10/26: Rockefeller Chapel; 10/27: Thalia Hall; 10/28: Empty Bottle. Sold out; see resellers.
3 Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Classical:The CSO muscles into its subscription schedule with a vigorous 20th-century program and two star guest artists, James Gaffigan and James Ehnes. Gaffigan leads Bernstein’s On the Waterfront suite and Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances round Ehnes’s take on Samuel Barber’s violin concerto.
10/26–27. $34–$220. Symphony Center. cso.org
4 Welcome to Jesus
Theater:Janine Nabers’s drama is part southern gothic, part football. A brutal murder parks the drama in a town where high school sports and the Christian church are equally beloved. Artistic director Will Davis helms the production.
10/26–12/3. $20–$50. American Theater Company. atcweb.org
5 Nomi Dance Company
Dance:Founder and artistic director Laura Kariotis opens Nomi’s season with a double bill. Chicago Repertory Ballet’s Wade Schaaf will premiere a work that ties his company with Nomi, alongside three other premieres by dancers from the host company.
10/28 at 8 p.m. $12–$37. Athenaeum Theatre. nomilamaddance.com
6 A Memory Palace of Fear
Theater:Ghosts and goblins aren’t what make this West Side haunted house scary. The immersive theater event, which poses the question “What haunts your house?”, explores the ways in which our homes can menace us. Stick around afterward for five art installations in a neighboring room of the event space, all focused on themes of housing, safety, and fear.
10/26–31. $15 donation. 4106 W. Chicago Ave. theateroobleck.com
7 Chicago Humanities Festival: Fallfest
Festival:This week at Chicago Humanities Fest, which runs through November 12, Rolling Stone editor Matt Taibbi discusses his new book, I Can’t Breathe, about the aftermath of Eric Garner’s death by an NYPD officer. Other highlights include talks by authors Erika L. Sanchez, Emil Ferris, and Jason Reynolds.
Through November 12. $5-$20. Various venues. chicagohumanities.org
8 Hillary Clinton
Talk:Fresh off the release of her book What Happened (a copy of which is included in the price of upper-level tickets), Hillary Clinton returns to her hometown to discuss, well, what happened. More than a rehash of the 2016 election, the talk will span her personal journey in politics and what lies ahead. Expect stories that toe the line between the personal and political.
10/30 at 7:30 p.m. $229–$279. Auditorium Theatre. auditoriumtheatre.org
9 Northalsted Halloween Parade
Parade:A gaggle of zombies performing the “Thriller” dance lead this procession through Boystown, now in its 21st year. After the trek down Halsted, a panel of drag queens will pick their favorite costumes from the categories theme, scariest, group, and drag.
10/31 at 7:30 p.m. Free. Halsted and Belmont. northalsted.com/halloween
10 Day of the Dead: Tilica y Flaca es la Calaca
Art:The United States’ largest Day of the Dead exhibition calls Chicago’s National Museum of Mexican Art its home, and it runs the entire fall season with spectacular ofrendas—altars made by artists honoring their ancestors through paintings, masks, dolls, sugar sculptures, and cut-paper displays.
Through 12/10. Free. National Museum of Mexican Art. nationalmuseumofmexicanart.org